Shakuntala finds Dushyant near the River, that moment there was a sparkle in her heart…

Shakuntala was feeling very worried and sorry that due to her mocking, Dushyant would’ve left the Ashram and gone away to his kingdom. Thinking all this in the back of her mind, she just tries to see if any luck shines her way near the river. As soon as she nears River, she sees a muscular man half-naked bathing, swimming like a professional in the river water. She movies a little ahead and she gets the man she is looking for…

That’s ‘Dushyant’. King of Hastinapur clearly no unhappiness on his face. He was involved in swimming and enjoying his bath in the river.

The moment she sees him, her heart pumps faster. She develops a sudden lightening in her heart and her face sparkled with an unknown glow. She didn’t move forward, she stood still hiding in the bushes and watching Dushyant, admiring his well-built body of King from Hastinapur. She is awestruck and doesn’t move an inch from the spot. Her eyes stuck on King Dushyant, pupils only zooming trying to pierce into Dushyant’s bare chest.

After some time, Dushyant finishes his bath and comes out of the river. Shakuntala keeps observing the King. She sees that the King is almost undressed, the lungi that he wore was turned into ‘Langot’. A cloth piece to cover only his private parts. As he steps out, he sees Shakuntala and feels very shy. Intimidated by his body, even Shakuntala is standing with shyness all around her. She quickly moves back allowing Dushyant to run into bushes and change. He changes and comes out and asks Shakuntala why are you here? Do you also take a bath here?

‘No, I don’t. I was finding for you. I felt that u have hurt you yesterday evening, so I wanted to see you and feed you breakfast and apologise’. Dushyant could make out that even she has fallen in love with him. The feelings for each other are now getting amplified.

The love story is now getting properly cooked but missing the touch…

Dushyant accepts the apology and both go back to Ashram. But since the time they arrive in the ashram, they are continuously finding for each other and then observing. No direct talks, no meets. Just observations. Even during the evening, Aarti both of them are looking at each other. That’s when the friends of Shakuntala catch her. After the Aarti, they ask her why is that you are so interestingly staring at Dushyant?

‘I think I love him’ says Shakuntala. Taken aback by this, friends shoot her with questions. One says how can you be so ignorant, you never know what’s in his mind! First of all, he is a King and he wouldn’t want to marry an ashram lady. Rather he’ll look for a princess of some kingdom.

Other one says, have you gone mad? This is an impossible connection. You can’t go forward with this relationship. Think over!!

Listening to her friends, Shakuntala starts contemplating deeply.

What if love is one side? What if he is married and what if I’m his second or third choice? Would I be treated well? I would be thrown out. I don’t think I should continue with this anymore… her dreams shattering in her mind…

Few metres away, King Dushyant is also thinking only about Shakuntala. He thinks as a King it’s my right to express my feelings and I need to do it. Thinking this, he moves out of the cottage and reaches Shakuntala’s hut. She is scared and anxious to see Dushyant in the late night. He asks her some time for talking, she hesitantly yet excitingly comes near the door. Dushyant opens up and expresses his love for her. I want to marry you.

A Relationship of love begins riding on an agreement…

Shakuntala says ‘How can you marry me? I am from Ashram and you are King’.

Shakuntla-Dushyant Katha/शकुंतला-दुष्यंत कथा (1 ...Dushyant says you don’t have to worry about it. I’ll treat you like the princess because you deserve it as my future wife. He gives her time till next day and moves to his cottage. The next day, Dushyant is taking a bath in the river and Shakuntala also goes there. But this time there’s no shyness and hiding. Dushyant asks ‘what’s your answer’?

Shakuntala says Yes, but not before putting across her demands. She feels that her children shouldn’t be let off of the luxuries and kingship in the future. So she asks Dushyant to promise that children born from her would become Kings. Dushyant exclaims, hesitates but agrees.

That’s when a ‘Gandarwa marriage’ happens. Both go back to the ashram, seeing the couple everybody is shocked first but later everyone accept and start the rituals. Rituals for day long. Poojas and Aarti conclude and final ritual of ring sharing is also done. Happily, the rituals get over, the first night also gets completed. Once everything is done, Dushyant decides to leave and to explain the situation to his parents he seeks permission to leave the ashram.

That way, Dushyant gets married to Shakuntala, agrees to the demands put up by Shakuntala and goes back to Hastinapur.

Published by Sriram

A Teacher trying to Learn new things and explore the world each day! Believe in Happiness by the virtue of sacrifice and forgiveness.

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